The Amenity Authority Committee is looking at the possibility of purchasing property off County Road 42 in Marion County for a recreation center.
District Manager Janet Tutt told AAC members Wednesday morning that she and District staff had met with the leadership of the First Baptist Church about purchasing the property which includes a building.
The Villages wants to build 300 courtyard villas in Community Development District 4 in the Marion County portion of The Villages.
However, CDD 4 residents have expressed frustration with crowded recreation centers and fears about the additional crowding that could be brought by the new residents.
An additional recreation center could alleviate some of the crowding at peak season.
“It could be a great opportunity,” Tutt said.
The property includes about 10 acres and the building is about 9,000-square feet.
AAC member John Wilcox called for a workshop meeting in which AAC members could tour the building together. He noted the AAC was “highly criticized” for the purchase of the El Santiago Club restaurant building, which was later torn down.
AAC Chair Ann Forrester said she has “many concerns.”
She said she wasn’t certain the 300 homes were going to be built. She asked if there was any other land available, to which Tutt replied there is not.
“There is some due diligence which must take place,” she added.
She asked the AAC to allow staff to work through some of those issues and then set up a workshop at the site.
